Feet, Spankings and Bondage OH MY!

Welcome to my blog -- my first ever post in my first ever blog. Try to bare with me.:) This first post will be a bit longer as I introduce myself and the reason behind this blog.

The purpose of this blog is to help members of our community be aware of safety in scenes and play responsibly. I don't claim to offer all the answers, and I welcome educational comments noting things I have missed or telling everyone about techniques they can use to allow more severe play.

Before you read, please be aware of what the acronyms SSC and RACK mean. These are the philosophies you will most encounter when trying to educate yourself about safety. SSC means "Safe, Sane, and Consensual", while RACK means "Risk Aware Consensual Kink". RACK is typically something experienced players relate to as they are in a position to assess risk more clearly than a newcomer will be.

My first post will focus on something near and dear to Miss Vonn's heart -- trampling.

Trampling is defined as having the Top quite literally walk all over you.:) There are a wide variety of ways this can be done. Sometimes the Top will support her/his weight with his arms and step lightly on you. At other times, s/he may choose to put her/his full weight onto your body, possibly stomping on you for extra force. Often the Top will have some sort of support available, be it hanging chains, a raised bar, or even something like a counter top. This is so that if s/he slips or missteps, s/he can catch her/his weight before any damage occurs. However, for experienced Tops, it is not at all unusual to forgo this support.

Trampling can be done barefoot, in socks/stockings, in shoes, sneakers, boots, heels, and just about anything else that can be classified as footwear.:) It is considered by many as being very physical play, and by some as edge-play. (Edge-play is a type of play that can be extremely dangerous and/or something very severe. It's typically associated with RACK more than SSC.)

Now, take a minute or so to picture trampling as I have defined it. Try to imagine what could go wrong with something like this. Hopefully, you'll come up with at least one or two things.:) This point may possibly be the most important point I will ever make in this blog. Remember this. While a bottom or submissive relies and trusts her/his Top to be careful and to play safely, ultimately the bottom is responsible for her/his own safety! There is a reason that the bottom is, usually, given a safeword. Play without safe words should only be done with someone the bottom trusts with your life, because that may be exactly what is at stake. Bottoms are obligated to educate themselves about safety. If they see something about to happen that they believe is unsafe, there is no harm in calling "Yellow", meaning "Hold on a second. I need to talk with you."

Now, to some specific trampling safety. Firstly, if you have a respiratory condition, heart trouble, high blood pressure, poor circulation, or are someone of advanced age, be sure your Top knows this. There are certain techniques that are not advised, and if your Top doesn't know about your condition s/he won't know what safety measures s/he should take. One remedy that is available is the use of a "trampling board". This board helps to distribute the Top's weight and protects the Bottom's body. This device still provides the crush of trampling, but the over all pressure of the Top's weight is focused on a larger area. One added feature of many of these boards is a hole through which a male Bottom's genitalia can be pulled. "Cock and ball trampling" is not for everyone. Be absolutely sure your Top has done this before. It only takes twelve pounds of pressure to break the penis, and testicles are of course fragile.

There are certain areas of the body that are particularly vulnerable. Your Top should avoid trampling your kidneys and directly on your spine. Also, the collarbone is extremely breakable, and it is very easy to step on if the Top is not careful.

There are many Bottoms who imagine having their faces stepped on or stood upon, and many Tops who have the same interest. This is not for the faint of heart, particularly if the face stepping or standing is full weight. If the Top steps on the side of your face, (your ear, cheek, ETC.) things are generally safe. The Top needs to be aware of your jawbone, as too much weight focused on it can break it. If, on the other hand, you and your Top want to have her/him step on your upturned face, the biggest danger is to your nose. The nose is easily broken by a footstep, so your Top should be very careful. S/he should step on either side of the nose, either with her/his toes on your forehead and heels on your chin, or facing the other direction. The Top must be very careful that your nose is between her/his feet. The Top can also step or stand such that one foot is across the forehead and eyes and the other is across your mouth or chin. Your lips are going to be hurting either way.:) This is not for everyone. Be sure you understand what you're getting into if you do this. I would most definitely advise not doing this with spikes or high heels. Your Top must be VERY experienced if s/he is going to do this with you. Also, particularly in the case of face standing, I would advise working your way up to full weight. The Top should be supporting her/his weight and slowly building the amount of weight directly on an upturned face. This is also true of just about everywhere else on your body, but the face is particularly vulnerable.

If you are new to being trampled, you might want to consider having some padding under you. My first trampling was on a bed, with my partner using the ceiling so that she did not fall. Even today I prefer having a pillow for my head. This might be a good idea if head or neck trampling is involved, particularly if the Top wants to step on the back of the bottom's head. In that case, I always put my hands under the pillow to cradle my face. It helps to spread out the pressure when her/his foot comes down.

Be aware that certain forms of trampling may leave a mark. This is especially true of ribbed sneakers and boots with heavy tread. High heels also leave a very distinct mark, so if you will be trampled under heels, be sure you have planned for marks.

Finally, perhaps a subtler point. Remember that being stood upon hurts a lot more than being trampled.:) As long as the Top is moving, the pressure keeps changing to different parts of the body. This means that no one spot really feels a prolonged crush. When the Top stands still, her/his weight is baring down in one spot, and you'll definitely notice. Some people call this type of play "crushing", though that word is used to describe many other things as well. It's probably a good idea to start "standing still" on the chest or back, but an experienced Top can judge for her/himself.

I hope this has been enlightening. Feel free to leave comments, particularly if you see something I've misrepresented or if you have your own safety tips for trampling.

Miss Vonn's Tiki